Headlines
by RCs Fix
Summary: Mozzie arrives at Neal's door with some unexpected news.
1. Chapter 1

Neal opened his door. Mozzie stood one arm at his chest clutching a stack of newspapers. "Every government is run by liars and nothing they say should be believed."

"I.F. Stone, if I remember correctly." Neal said smiling, "What brings you here on a Sunday?"

"I take it you have not read the papers then."

Neal looked at the stack Mozzie sat on the table.

"No, I haven't. What should I look for?"

"The second page." Mozzie said pulling the New York Times from the middle of the pile.

"Right here." Mozzie pointed to a headline. It read, "Appleton makes bail."

"Nooo" Neal's voice trailed off. How could this be? Neal tried reading the paper.

Mozzie quoted Tennessee Williams, "There is time for departure even when there's no certain place to go."

"You're right, Tennessee Williams, I better go." Neal said and turned to grab his hat and coat.

As they walked out the door Neal turned as if he was forgetting something, looked across the apartment and closed the door.

* * *

Peter was looking at the Paper and saw the story on Appleton. He jumped up knocking over the dining room chair he was in.

"What is it, Honey? Elizabeth asked.

"I need to call Neal and Hughes and, …and… everybody." Peter had a hand in his hair. He was still looking at the paper, then moved quickly to the coffee table where his phone was sitting.

* * *

Neal's phone rang, "Hello"

"Neal leave the house, have your little friend hide you, Appleton's out." Peter spit this out almost as one word.

"Slow down, Peter" Neal knew that Peter kept Mozzie's name off the phone for a reason. He would have to lose the phone. "The little guy saw it and we've already left.

"OK, lose your phone but call me in the office in two hours." Peter instructed. They both hung up. Neal looked at the phone saw the time 9:12

Mozzie said, "The little guy?"

"Peter thinks this phone is compromised, didn't want to give our your name." Neal said as he dropped the phone into a trash can near the corner.

Mozzie nodded.

Both continued walking quickly down the street, bundled against the cold, collars up and hats on.

* * *

"As a well known Senator, it was deemed he was not a flight risk" Hughes said.

"What about the safety of those he has threatened?" Peter asked.

Hughes sighed, "His attorney claimed the charges were 'preposterous and insidious' and said in court that they plan to file suit against us.

Hughes continued, "While you did everything , I will need to check with our lawyers in case something was missed by the D.A."

"Thank you sir." Peter said.

"I'll be in later." Hughes said.

They both hung up. Peter was pulling into the parking garage and he could see Jones was already there.

* * *

Appleton was handed a phone, "Hello, I don't trust these any more, you're going to have to come here." He hung up and handed the phone back.

His lawyer stuck his phone back into his pocket, "You realize that if we don't already, you will have a tail by the end of the day."

"I know, I'll have be careful and I have to hurry."

* * *

Mozzie led Neal in and out of stores, up and right back down escalators, stopped at a corner and back tracked a whole block. Walked across all four corners of an intersection.

Every so often they would stop and look up and down the sidewalks. Neal thought about Mozzie's paranoia and was glad for it.

Mozzie looked at Neal and said, "Sometimes Paranoia's just having all the facts."

"Burroughs, reading my mind?"

"William Burroughs, you had that look."

At a solid door with no address between two shops Mozzie stopped, satisfied they had not been followed, he leaned against the door looked up and down the street one more time and slid in backwards pulling Neal with him.

* * *

Peter had assembled his team on a Sunday, something he didn't expect to do.

"First off, thank you all for coming in on your day off." Peter was sitting at the head of the conference table, he looked over his team, amazed at their dedication.

"As you all know now that Appleton was released. We need a tail on him, we need a wiretap, we need to know where he has been, who he has talked with. We need to fill in all the blanks."

Jones slid a page of details to Peter, "Appleton was released last night at eleven thirty. Night court judge and Appleton supporter, Edwin Charles, presided. I have pulled surveillance and traffic cam footage. He gets into his lawyer's car." Jones slid a picture to Peter, " and heads North. We lose him mid-town, but pick him up again two blocks from his home in this traffic cam. Time line would give little time for any stops." He slid another picture across the table.

"Great, we can send a team to his home and verify he is still there."

Diana looked to Jones and then to Peter, "I have put together a request for the wiretaps, but being Sunday we'll have to drive over to Judge Hartwig's house and convince him." Diana said.

Peter looked at the clock, then checked his watch. "OK team you make this easy on me. Jones setup surveillance and then go with Diana to Hartwig'. The Judge is familiar with you." Peter looked at his watch again, "OK everybody let's go." Neal should be calling any minute Peter thought, he headed to his office.

* * *

Mozzie walked across a large brightly lit, sparsely furnished, room. Three television screens were on in the corner, each had an empty hallway leading to Mozzie's hideaway.

He was carrying his satchel full of his necessities.

"What's in there today?" Neal asked, seated on a small couch looking out upon the city.

"Everything that's always here." Mozzie said as he started emptying it. He sat these items on the table. Night vision goggles, Leatherman multi-tool, an new unsharpened pencil, a small leather packet with lock picking tools, rubber gloves, an unused paint brush, a small triangular file, an old fountain pen, a telephone repairman's yellow and red phone, chop sticks, a digital recorder, a roll of duct tape that is half used and smashed, a can of WD-40, a small package of toothpicks, a small dish like device with wires and what looked like a tape recorder for listening.

Neal leaned over to see what was still in the bag, "Are you planning to show me something?"

"Got to get to the secret compartment." Mozzie smiled.

Neal didn't believe him.

Mozzie tried, "The gum always go to the bottom?"

Neal still didn't believe him and shook his head.

"Yes I'm going to show you something." Mozzie saw it and reached in, Here it is." Mozzie pulled out his voice modulator, a device to disguise his voice. "We're going to call Appleton."

"Oh, what time is it?" Neal asked

"It is..."Mozzie looked at his watch, "Eleven twenty..two"

"I need to call Peter."

* * *

A car drove around the block twice. Having spotted the car watching the house and the utility van across the street, no more circling was needed.

Two blocks from the back side of the house the car parked and a man in black got out and started walking toward Appleton's home. Which of the plans would he act upon? Didn't matter, a job was a job.

* * *

Peter sat at his desk staring at his phone. Come on Neal call, he thought to himself.

Peter looked at his watch again, it seemed like hours, but had only been fifteen minutes. Eleven thirty eight.

Peter jumped when the phone rang and he pounced on it and in his official FBI voice he answered, "Peter Burke"

"Hi Peter."

"You're thirty minutes late."

"Were you worried?" Neal asked.

"Appleton put a hit out on you once, nothing says he wouldn't do it again."

"You were worried!"

Peter tried to brush this off, "No, it's the paper work if something were to happen to you… OK, yeah, I was."

Neal repeated himself, "You were worried." Neal was surprised and a little embarrassed and maybe even a little happy.

"My friend took excessive precaution to ensure my safety, I am happy to say. He is very good at this kind of thing."

Mozzie heard this and turned his attention to Neal

"Paranoia?" Peter asked.

"Yes, very much so."

Mozzie looked proud that the Suit must have given him praise, little did he know.

"If I asked you to stay there would that make you go?" Peter asked.

"Depends on how safe I am as too how long I stay." Neal said.

Peter thought, that's not really an answer, "Stay safe, we're watching him." That should keep them away.

Thanks, Peter." Neal said.

They both hung up.

* * *

The man in black went through a yard hopped over a wall and walked up to Appleton's back door. The Senator had been waiting on his arrival.

"Did anyone see you?" Appleton asked.

* * *

Mozzie and Neal walked across the street and into the basement of a large apartment complex. In a corner a sign said 'Utilities'. Neal picked a lock and opened a metal door to the telephone lines coming from the phone company. Mozzie pulled out the telephone repairman's handset, clipped into a set of wire and said, "This one is clear."

Mozzie dialed the number.

"How did you get his number?" Neal asked.

"I have my ways." Mozzie responded, not really considering the question, busy getting the voice modulator ready.

* * *

The man in black sat on the edge of his chair, ready to run , if necessary, but listening to Appleton's request.

"I need Caffrey dead. I need Burke dead. I want them both dead. Tonight."

His private phone rang.

* * *

Mozzie held up the voice modulator.

"This will not end well for you." and then hung up.

* * *

Appleton looked at the phone and then hung up.

* * *

Neal asked, "You're just planning on prank calls?"

Mozzie had already packed up his tools and closed the metal door.

"No, just giving a little at a time. We'll call him again in an hour from somewhere else and I'll give him a little more."

"Sounded like a prank call." Neal said as they jogged up the basement stairs.

* * *

Jones was now in the van, listening to the phone line. He called Peter.

"Peter, I think you need to get over here. Appleton just got a cryptic phone call from someone disguising his voice."

"I'm on my way, Jones, should be there in five minutes."

Peter pressed a button on his dash to increase the volume and wondered out loud, "Who would need to disguise their voice?"

* * *

Appleton said, "That sounded like your boss."

The man in black said, "He told me if he called then it was plan B.

"Plan B? Appleton asked.

"Yes, plan B. This means that your services are no longer needed.

I have this gun registered to you." Then he shot Appleton in his head, put the gun in Appleton's hand and slipped out the back door.

* * *

"Did you hear that?" Jones said to everyone on the team.

Peter did and said, "Get in there. Now! Go!"

* * *

Monday's headline read, "Appleton Suicide Shocker"

The man in black set the paper down and said to his boss, "I was following your plan, the phone rang and Appleton said it was you. So I did what you wanted me to do if you called…."


	2. Chapter 2  The Boss

A tremendous weight had been lifted. Neal had not felt like this in years. The need to avenge Kate had him in a dark place and while he didn't pull the trigger, justice was served. The right thing happened. Appleton was dead.

He laid in bed, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling with his mind wondering. He didn't relish Appleton's death like he thought he might, the guy deserved some kind of punishment. Death was too easy, Appleton didn't suffer, he was just gone. Neal would have liked to see him behind bars. There he would have suffered, that would have been better.

He still missed Kate, but it was different. Listening to the FAA tape made him wonder what had been going on. Had she betrayed him? Neal's mind raced for a while. It was as if he was putting away those things that had held him down.

Neal was an optimist, he knew the past was the past and he would look forward to whatever happened.

Neal got ready to go to the office, but not really thinking about working. It never really was work anyway.

He thought about Alex, about Sara, about the model from the diamond heist. He thought about all the women he had met in the last year, Neal smiled to himself, so many possibilities.

He got ready, dressed as sharp as ever and hoofed it to the coffee shop.

Peter was in his office looking out when he saw Neal pushing open the glass doors with his back. As he spun around Peter saw Neal had brought four cups of coffee.

Neal handed a cup to Jones, to Diana and then walked towards Peters office. Neal was all smiles, he seemed as happy as Peter could ever remember. His walk even seemed happy.

"Good morning." It was almost musical the way Neal said it and smiled.

"Morning Neal, thank you." Peter accepted the coffee. "You seem chipper."

Neal thought about that, but didn't say anything. He just smiled.

* * *

Peter had looked for a interesting crime to solve, but didn't find one.

The meeting 'talk' would be quick.

"This stack of cases..." Peter had walked into the conference room carrying forty or fifty folders, thinking of something Mozzie had said"... will be a scavenger hunt."

"Read through these and see if anything was missed." Peter made six uneven stacks on the table. Everyone knew this meant they were working here.

Everyone grabbed a file or two and started reading.

"How old are these?" Neal asked.

"All within the last year." Peter responded, knowing why it was asked.

Neal didn't have to worry about reading about one of his own escapades, he nodded to Peter and looked back to the folders in front of him.

* * *

Mozzie was waiting for him when Neal opened his door.

"So what's going on, what big case are we working on?" Mozzie had enjoyed helping Neal solve the cases that the Suit couldn't do without them.

Neal smiled, "We just read facts on cases they don't have answers on yet."

"So what big one did you come across?"

"There were none, Moz, I could have dreamt up something and solved it. We just sat there, reading." Neal thought about it, though it was a boring day, he was still happy.

"Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today." Mozzie quoting James Dean and smiling.

Neal saw the smile but he wasn't in sync with Mozzie and he missed it, "Just making a quote about dreams?

"No, about living." Mozzie corrected, "You may be the dog on the Suit's leash," pointing to the anklet, "but that doesn't mean you have to live like a dog."

Neal just looked at Mozzie for a moment. "What do you have in mind?"

Mozzie looked out the window to the city below. "Museum of Modern Art has Abstract Expressionist New York, Pollocks, Rothkos, Newmans. It's in your radius."

Neal had his coat on when Mozzie turned around.

Neal smiled, "Let's go." He then picked up his hat and spun it in his fingers, flipped it up, caught it upside down and sat it on his head.

"Haven't seen you do that one in a while." Mozzie noted.

"Tomorrow will be a better day." Neal believed another day past the mess of the weekend would make it better.

* * *

The sun was ready to peek over the Atlantic, newspapers were still being delivered to vendors, the darkest moments before daylight.

The Boss sat behind his desk staring at the man in black, "OK, I understand, but I didn't call. Find out who did."

The man in black, nodded. "Thank you sir." He turned, walked through the oversized doorway and disappeared.

The man in black would be gone before anyone knew he was there.

A few hours later the Boss picked up his phone and dialed a familiar number.

* * *

Mrs. Appleton came out of the bedroom crying. Her son, Joey, came over to her and hugged her, not really sure what to say to comfort her. "I don't know why he did it, mom... You know I always thought of him as a father, not a step-father... He had secrets. Stuff I know he didn't tell you, that must have weighed on him, it must have been it, but we'll be fine. You're coming to stay with me for a while."

"That's not why I'm crying." she said. "Remember the creepy guy that was always at the campaign meetings and had those meeting with father, with the stupid little beard? Something like Don King?"

"Conklin" Joey smiled, "Don King is the boxing promoter with the hair." Joey put both hand above his ears with his fingers straight up and spread apart.

"That's it, Conklin. Well, he just called." She turned and looked at the bedroom, and then back to Joey. "I can't tell you what he said word for word, as I went into a fog after he said that someone killed Jonas."

* * *

Joey found the card left by the FBI guy and called the number on it.

"This is about Senator Appleton, can I speak with Agent Burke please, this is his son." Then quickly added. "The Senator's son."

The called was sent to Peter. "Peter Burke" He answered.

"Hello sir. This is Joey Wycombe, my mother was married to Senator Appleton, since I was six."

"What can I do for you?" Peter asked.

"I think my father was killed and from a call my mother just got, she does too."

Jones was walking past the office, Peter covered the mouthpiece, "Jones" and waved him in. "Find out who has called the Appleton residence in the last two hours."

"I'm sorry." Peter said, "Does she know who called, what was said?" Peter had thought this out loud. "Tell her to remember everything that was said, have your mother write it down. I'll be out there as soon as I can."

* * *

Mozzie was on his way to Neal's when he saw the car, he immediately bent down to tie his shoe. He watched the car, he looked around, got up and start walking the other way. Mozzie pulled out his phone and called Neal.

"Do not go outside. Don't open a window, don't even peek out."

"Mozzie, what are you talking about?"

It was too late.

"There is a car watching your place." Mozzie had turned to watch June's house.

Neal was walking down stairs, "Where?"

Neal slipped his phone into his pocket and Mozzie continued to listen.

Two men got out of the car and walked towards Neal. "Someone wants to talk with you." One of two said.

"Do you need my number?" Neal smiled.

"Don't be a smartass." The other said, showing Neal a gun tucked into his belt.

Who wants to talk with me?" Mozzie heard Neal ask.

Neal was led to the car and got in.

Mozzie sat down, pulled out a pad of paper and a pen and started writing everything he heard and could hear in the background.

* * *

Mozzie called Peter, "Track Neal, someone just forced him into a car."

"What!" Peter was shocked.

Mozzie gave Peter the license plate, described the guys and told him what was said.

"Neal's phone is still on, I'm listening, but nothing has been said in a while. One of them has a gun. Neal said so."

Peter rubbed his face with both hands, "Jones" he yelled, "Find Caffrey, now"

Peter said to Mozzie, "Appleton's son called, he believes his father was killed. This isn't good. Neal is in trouble."

Mozzie hadn't believed it was suicide. "They've got Neal."

Peter was worried, angry and determined, his expression said so much. "We have to catch these guys. I don't know who they are yet, but I am going to catch them."

Mozzie stopped Peter. "Hang on, Neal's talking."

"Moz, hopefully you can still hear me, I've just been dropped off to meet someone they're just calling their 'boss'. Ladies' Pavillion in the park." They're at the car watching me.

Mozzie switched phones, "Neal is at the Ladies' Pavillion in Central Park."


	3. Chapter 3 The Drawings

The Boss waved his hand to the seat near him. Neal sat down.

The man spoke to Neal, "Sorry to steal your time from you, but we needed to talk."

Neal felt like saying, 'it's you that needs to talk and time isn't what you've stolen.' but he didn't, he just sat and stared at the man, taking in every detail.

"You have seen my work on what became 'Mentor'." The Boss waved a man Neal hadn't seen yet over. "Take his phone, and cut the tracker off."

Mozzie heard a beep just as Neal handed the phone over.

"Suit" Mozzie said, "They've taken his phone and they're cutting the tracking device."

"Jones, get ANYBODY there now!" Peter implored.

Neal watched this other man smash his phone onto the ground, little pieces flew everywhere.

Mozzie said to Peter, "Suit, get there, find Neal."

Peter hung up and was running to the door.

Mozzie hurried off to do some work on this as well.

"What do you know about Appleton?" The Boss asked.

"Crooked politician that screwed with my life, but I see he wasn't alone in that. Other than that I don't know much."

"He received a call the other day just before his death. What do you know about it?"

* * *

Sirens blaring Peter rushed to Ladies' Pavillion. He screeched to a stop and jumped out.

No cars anywhere nearby, they had already left. Peter walked towards the tables. He could see Neal's phone, or what was left of it.

Peter heard the sound of scraping on cement, then a moan. He looked under the tables and saw Neal holding his stomach, curled into a ball.

"Neal" Peter ran to him.

Jones pulled up and walked towards the Pavillion, then saw Peter helping Neal up and rushed to help.

Neal had the breath knocked out of him but was recovering quickly. His voice was soft, "Did ...not... see... it coming. Wasn't ...ready."

"Take your time, Neal, you'll be OK."

Neal shook his head and held up his hand. Peter and Jones waited.

Neal started slowly, pointing at his ankle, "This saved me, this time, They couldn't cut it. He'll come back after me, after you. He's going to go after everyone of us."

Peter and Jones looked at each other and back to Neal and then lifted him to his feet. Neal wasn't sure if they were doing that to pick him up or if it was because what he had said, so he repeated it.

"He's going to go after each of us."

Peter asked, "Do you know who this guy is?"

"He never said, and his goons just called him 'The Boss', but I got a good look at him. Get me a pencil and paper and I'll show you what he looked like."

They walked to their cars.

"Appleton's son called, his mom got a call and they believe Appleton was killed." Peter felt like he needed to help Neal still, he opened the door and then said, "Watch your head."

Neal smiled at this, "Thanks, Peter."

* * *

The drive to Appleton's started off with Neal running through everything that happened.

"I was forced into their car. I asked 'What's going on?'

"The guy that flashed his gun said 'You need to see the boss'.

"I told them they could pull over that I really didn't need to see the boss at all."

"They told me to 'shut up'. We pulled into the Park and told me to go to the Pavillion. They waited behind, but it was only twenty yards. This boss guy had me sit down. I heard the car drive away about the time this other guy appears.

"They use my phone as a fast ball into the pavement and tried scissors to cut the anklet. I'm sure I would be gone with them, wherever they are, but they didn't have anything else to cut with. I told them that it tracks me within three feet. The boss tells me he has more questions when your sirens started getting closer. The boss tells me he's letting me go, but he'll see me again , soon. Then I stand up and the other guy sucker punches me. Didn't expect it. I heard your tires when you pulled into the parking area and they were gone and you were here.

Peter has listened intently, "We just missed him. I didn't see any cars.""I didn't hear them leave in one either." Neal remembered.

Peter filled in Neal on the information Mozzie had provided.

The license plate info was wrong, that plate hadn't been issued yet. Then the ride got quiet. Neal had burned an image into his head. He sat there with the pencil and paper, but didn't draw, he wrote.

Silver filling in lower right side molar. Small scar from just under his nose, right side to his chin, across lips. Mole under left ear near jaw bone. He had a list of small details.

When Peter had pulled up to Appleton's Neal asked, "Mind if I stay here and draw this up?"

"Go right ahead, come in when you're done."

* * *

Peter had read the details Mrs. Appleton could remember, had spoke to her for twenty minutes, then he had spoke with Joey for twenty minutes. He had gone over the office crime scene and come back to Mrs. Appleton when Neal Finally knocked.

Neal handed Peter the notepad. "That took longer than I expected." Peter opened the spiral pad and looked at the picture.

Joey looked at the drawing. "That's Conklin." Joey pulled it closer. "Did you draw that? It looks like a black and white photo. Mom, come look at this."

Neal asked, "Do you know the next three?"

Peter was shocked, "Four in an hour?"Neal just shrugged his shoulders.

"He never was in any of the photo's." Mrs. Appleton said.

Joey jumped on it, "That's a drawing."

"I can see, Joey, it's a very good drawing. I'm just saying we're not likely to find any photos of him."

* * *

When Mozzie heard Neal was at the Ladies' Pavillion, he took a cab. He walked around for two hours before he came across a discarded license plate that just happened to be the one he reported to the suit.

Mozzie dialed Peter, "Hello Suit."

"Hello Mozzie." This piqued Neal's attention, "We have Neal. He's OK."

"Thanks Moz!" Neal yelled towards Peter for Mozzie to hear.

"Neal says thank you." Peter repeated.

"I heard, glad he's OK. Tell him to listen to me next time." Mozzie thought of seeing Neal forced into that car.

"I found the license plate." Mozzie said, "It looks good from a distance, but it's fake, held on with magnets."

"That makes sense, that number hasn't been issued yet." Peter agreed.

"Someone put some time into this fake." Mozzie said, then added. "The falls on the left and the city skyline on the right."

Peter knew the blue and white plates. While not as detailed as some of the paintings that he had seen faked, there was still enough work that not anyone could make a passable fake. "How does the cityscape look?"

"It's good, and it's not a one-off"

Peter asked, "Know anyone who makes fake plates."

"'Information is knowledge'", Mozzie smiled and said "and I'm going to know very soon."

"Wow, Einstein." Peter said it flatly, he expected the quotes from Mozzie.

* * *

Back in the office Neal redrew the faces with colored pencils.

Every once in a while he thought he heard someone call his name. He stopped and looked around, but no one was calling him.

Neal finished and gave Peter the drawings.

Peter looked at them and then called Diana over. "Go get the digital camera, take a photo of each of these and run it through facial recognition. See if we get any hits."

Diana made a 'good idea, why didn't I think of that' face. Neal and Peter each saw it and grinned at each other.

Neal was back at his desk when he thought he heard his name, he looked around but didn't see anyone calling him. He got up and started wondering around the office.

There it was again. He stopped and heard a descending tune, not unlike a Christmas Carol, but the words were just his name.

"Neal, Neal, Neal, Neal, Ne,ne, ne, ne, Neal." The file clerk was singing his name to herself, or so she thought. She turned the corner saw Neal. She stopped so quickly that the files on top of the box she was carrying slid off to the floor.

She turned a bright red. Neal picked up the folders and placed it back on the box she was holding, "Are there any more Appleton folders down here?"

"No, Agent Burke has them all." She tried to smile.

"OK, thanks." Neal turned and left feeling a bit awkward, but at least he wasn't hearing imaginary voices.

* * *

"Andrew Anthony Conklin, retired after thirty two years at the C.I.A. as an analyst." Diana said.

Peter's eyebrows went up, "OK, what else do you have?"


	4. Chapter 4 The File

"Andrew Anthony Conklin, retired after thirty two years at the C.I.A. as an analyst." Diana said.

Peter's eyebrows went up, "OK, what else do you have?"

"Let's see. He's not allowed to leave the country without permission. Here's his address, or at least what is in the system and about everything else is redacted." Diana handed a single sheet of paper to Peter. It was all blacked out.

"The next guy..." Diana looked at the next page, "...is Don Bayer, former C.I.A. and former N.S.A. I can't even get an address on him." She handed Peter the page, but it was a waste of paper, it had a picture and the one line Diana read.

"The other two are not coming up." Diana finished.

"I guess I'll go to Hughes with these and see if we can get some help." Peter said looking at the two pages.

Neal watched Diana and Peter talking by Peter's office as he walked back to his desk. Neal pulled his phone from his pocket at the first hint of a ring.

"Hey, Moz."

"He's a ghost, Neal, a snoop, a spook, a spotter. He's a spy, Neal. Conklin is a spy, C.I.A." Mozzie was falling back into his paranoia. "A spy."

Neal caught the third 'spy' reference, "Is the OCD taking over?"

"We fear things in proportion to our ignorance of them" Mozzie quoted Titus Livius, "No. It's not."

"Aaah" Neal took in Mozzie's paranoia, "He's after me, Moz."

"And I helped you, I made the call, he's after me too, he just doesn't know it yet." Mozzie added.

"OK"

"Perfect paranoia is perfect awareness." Mozzie quoted Philo Gant this time.

"What else have you found out?" Neal asked.

"Come meet me downstairs."

Mozzie had more info than Diana. Conklin had an apartment as well as the home, Bayer had worked with Conklin in their former life. Metzger and Erickson were burnt spies for hire.

"That was fast, Moz, thanks."

Mozzie turned and bee lined his way away from Neal. Neal smiled and shook his head at Mozzie.

* * *

"Peter" Neal called, "I have some information." He held up a handful of papers. Peter waved him up to the office.

"Mozzie got some info for us." Neal said as he lay down the different pieces of paper, each in it's own space on Peters desk.

"Conklin has a house..."

"We know that." Peter said.

"..and an apartment..."

"What?" Peter pulled the paper towards him, "How'd you get this?"

"Mozzie got it. Conklin and Bayer worked together, but these two, Jason Metzger and Ian Erickson are local guys for hire."

"Diana, get in here." Peter called out.

Peter made Neal go through this again for Diana.

"With names I should be able to find some more on these guys." Diana said and took off to plug their names into the computer.

* * *

Peter and Jones pulled up to an old warehouse and knocked on a door. "Jason, I'm Peter Burke, FBI, open the door."

"Show me your badge." Came a voice from inside. Peter pulled his badge out and held it in front of the peep hole on the door. The door opened.

"What can I do for you?" Jason Metzger asked.

"We understand you and a friend helped out Conklin this morning, give us what we want and we'll let the kidnapping charges slide."

Metzger opened his door, "Then come inside and let me talk until you're content."

Jones stood by the door and looked the place over. One large room, a very large studio apartment had it been in an apartment building.

"Conklin knocked on my door last night, gave me a thousand bucks to watch Caffrey's place. Once I saw him, I was to call Conklin and wait on instructions. We did, and he said bring him to me, told me where and said to leave once Caffrey sat down. It was easy, Caffrey didn't fight, we never touched him, though Ian played the tough guy and flashed his gun."

"Ian Erickson"

"Yes, Ian Erickson."

Peter asked, "What kind of car did he have?"

"Never saw a car. Must have parked 'round the corner." Metzger answered.

"What sense did you get from him?" Peter asked.

"He seemed like a smart guy, but he was out of his element."

"What do you mean?" Peter asked.

"I worked for the Agency, as did Erickson, we had heard his name. We were framed for stuff we didn't do and Conklin is either the guy that will clear us or the bastard that ruined us."

I'd guess the latter." Peter said.

"Well, I have to wait for proof, but like I said he was out of his element, he didn't do field ops, he pushed paper and now's he's trying to cover both. He's making mistakes."

"Do you know what he did, when he was working?" Peter asked.

"East Germany and Russia," Metzger said "is all I had heard of."

Jones jumped in, "The Amber Room was built in Prussia, the Czar liked it and the King of Prussia gave it to him."

"What's that?" Metzger asked.

"Sorry, East Germany and Russia, the area of Prussia and Russia and the music box, it all ties in." Jones felt excited to have tied things together. Peter gave Jones a look.

"Thank you for you time, and the answers we needed." Peter said, "No more kidnapping, OK?"

"I swear." Metzger held up his hand.

Peter and Jones left and walked to the car. Peter opened his cell phone and dialed, "Diana, bring Neal to Conklin's apartment."

* * *

"The apartment is close enough to the Ladies' Pavillion and to Metzger's place. He walked to both." Peter said to Jones on the ride to the apartment.

Diana pulled up and she and Neal jumped out, "Stay here, Neal." Diana said. She walked a little, still in sight of Neal, to check out the side of the building, then came back.

Peter and Jones pulled up. "Jones, Diana, check out the back entrance and meet us up there." Peter ordered.

Neal and Peter were at the door first, it was unlatched. They knocked and the door moved slightly further open.

Jones and Diana came up, "No sign of him." Diana offered.

"Conklin, FBI, come out."

A neighbor opened her door. An elderly lady leaned out, "He left, maybe thirty minutes ago, yellin' at the guy with him. I asked him to hold it down and he cursed at me."

"Thank you, please go back inside." Diana said while holding her badge up for the lady to see.

Neal used the toe of his shoe pivoting his foot to open the door wider.

Peter justified it to himself, "The door is open and we believe he is fleeing..."

Diana, Jones, and Peter went about clearing the apartment following FBI procedure, each calling 'clear' when a room was found empty.

Neal looked at the place as a thief would. Looking behind paintings and photos on the wall until he found the safe with an unusual access panel.

The three agents were all behind him, "What do you think is in there?" Peter asked.

"Only one way to find out." Neal said.

The safe had a computer like screen, no key or combination dial, Neal touched the screen and waited.

Dots filled the screen like a fireworks explosion and then cleared and then the equal sign and the number fifteen, '= 15'. A three by three grid of numbers like a touch tone phone briefly drew on the screen, each in it's own box and then lined up at the top of the screen leaving the boxed grid empty. There was a countdown started, sixty seconds.

Jones and Diana and Peter were all talking at once, "What does that mean?" , "Do we need to add a few up to fifteen?" "What happens after the countdown?"

Neal touched the five and dragged it to the center square, "Each row has to equal fifteen, and each column has to equal fifteen as well as diagonal."

"Can that be done?" Jones asked.

"I'm doing it now."

Neal took just a second to figure it out, after the five he pulled the four to the upper left corner and the six to the lower right corner. Two to the upper right corner and the eight to the lower left corner.

"I thought the diagonals would be tougher, but it wasn't bad." Neal said.

Neal then filled in the top row with a nine and the bottom with the one, then dragged the three to the first column middle square and the seven to the last opening.

The counter still had thirty seconds. A click and then door popped open.

Neal opened it, "Wait" Peter said.

Too late, Neal had a folder in his hands.

Neal turned around to get more light. Peter looked over Neal's shoulder and Diana and Jones looked to Neal and then to the safe and then to the folder.

"It's Mentor" Neal said almost to himself, "It's just like the one Fowler gave me. Oh, this is different." He gave Peter a page.

"Doesn't include Kate." Peter noticed.

Neal paged through the document, "Names... Fowler, Appleton, Conklin, Bayer. That's new. Doesn't really say why though."

Neal got to the last page, he read it and shook his head. "Look at this." He handed the page to Peter.

Peter read it, "Ah crap."

"What's it say?" Jones asked as Diana tried to look at the page.

Peter handed Jones the page and he shared it so Diana could read it at the same time.

It read, "You're good Caffrey, but now I'm gone. Good bye."

"He expected you to open the safe and find this." Diana said still staring at the page.

"Gone, but for how long" Jones added.

Peter put the file pages back in order and closed the file, tucked it under his arm. "Hughes will want to see this, maybe he can get some answers from his friends at the C.I.A."

They left the building and got into their cars. Neal has his window down and Peter yelled across to Diana and Jones, "Go out to his house and see what you can find, I don't expect much.

A small glint on top of the next building flashed and Neal looked up but didn't see anything.

Bayer still dressed in black squatted away from the edge and said into his phone, "They have the file and they're leaving."


	5. Chapter 5 Conklin

"Wait a minute, wait a minute." Neal put his hands up.

"What?" Peter asked as he stopped the car.

"Do you think someone that has gone through all the trouble , through all the time to put Mentor together, to get Fowler and Appleton under his thumb is going to walk away now?"

"Doesn't really make sense does it." Peter agreed.

"Conklin knew us both, knew what to expect, exactly what we'd do." Neal looked out towards the apartment. "I don't think he expects us to read his doc and give up here. My question is, did he think we'd be here before going to his house?"

"It was the closest place to the last two scenes." Peter said, "I think this is the logical first choice."

"So the second place is his house." Neal said, "He tried to kill me once with a bomb, do you think he'd try it again?"

Peter got on his phone, "Diana, turn around and come back here... yes, right now."

Neal saw the glint out of the corner of his eye, but didn't look directly at it.

"Peter, do you thing the car is bugged?"

"No" Peter looked around the car, "Don't think so."

Neal moved over and whispered into Peter's ear, "I keep seeing something on the roof just to the right here. I think someone is watching us."

Peter pulled his phone back out and called Diana again. "The building just to the south, someone is on the roof watching us. Get up there."

"OK, they're pulling up right now, going in the back. We'll go in the front."

They both got out and started walking towards that building.

* * *

Bayer picked up his phone, "Boss, they must have seen me. They're coming into this building to find me."

Conklin asked, "What's your escape plan?"

"I didn't make one, didn't think..."

"Again you didn't think." Conklin was angry, "Good luck." Conklin hung up.

Bayer sat down with his back against an air vent. He laid down the binoculars. Bayer didn't bring a gun, he was stupid today, he thought to himself. He stared at the door to the building for a good five minutes, or so he thought. "Hell no." Bayer said. He jumped up and ran to the edge of the building. Looking over he gauged the distance to the next building. Maybe fifteen or twenty feet across and three stories lower. "If I could jump fifty feet, I'd break my legs, or die." Bayer then went to the other side, "Where's a fire escape when you need one?" He asked himself. No options on this side. He kicked at the gravel and sat back down by his binoculars, and waited.

The doors opened and Bayer put up his hands, Jones and Diana made it there first.

"Freeze!" Both had their guns drawn.

* * *

"What?"

"Bird watching." Jones said.

"We have his name." Peter held up Bayer's drivers license, "Neal has ID'd him as the guy in the park. His name is in the folder Neal pulled out of the safe, which we really can't use as evidence." Peter was upset and his expression said it all.

The door opened to the room Bayer was being held in. Peter stomped in.

"I had to give it a try." Bayer said.

"Are you ready to talk now?" Peter asked a little hopeful.

"Can I get a deal?"

* * *

"How is it that murderers and kidnappers are getting shorter sentences than I got?" Neal looked to Peter. "Don't say they had more to bargain with, don't say it."

Peter looked at Neal, "They had more to bargain with." Peter smiled. Neal made a face of pure disgust and shook his head.

Peter held up his hand, "We now have enough to put away Conklin. That's important, Neal."

"I know."

"When we catch him, we get to ask him questions. Questions you want answers to, questions that put everything to rest."

"Well then let's go catch him." Neal stood up.

"Come up to the conference room and we'll figure out a plan to catch him." Peter corrected.

The conference room table had numerous stacks of files full of photos and details on Conklin.

"How did we get all these?" Neal asked.

"Hughes called in a favor." Peter waved his hand at the mass of info they would have to sift through.

Neal looked at it all, "I just wanted to go and see you arrest him."

"We have to find him, Neal." Peter explained.

"Arresting him will be more fun." Neal sat down in front of a large stack, opened the top file and started reading.

* * *

After a couple hours the folders had been read, information was listed on notepads and whiteboards. One whiteboard had three columns; Known contacts that lived nearby, skills he had, or in this case didn't have, places they suspected he would go, listed as Contacts, Skills, Locations.

"Conklin was the idea guy." Peter started, "He used other peoples talents to his advantage. We've listed the few nearby contacts, people he worked with and his mother." Peter pointed at the whiteboard. "He speaks German and Russian, but had little time with guns or bombs. He does not have a registered fire arm. He doesn't drive, that leaves public transportation. Let's get the word out, see about the taxi cab companies, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, someone has seen him. Jones, get the local law enforcement involved with an APB. Neal, you're coming with me. We're going to go talk to his mom."

Neal smiled. Action. We're doing something other than sitting, he thought.

* * *

Neal stood just to the left and behind Peter at Conklin's mother's door. Peter had rung the bell and they were waiting for an answer.

They could hear a faint click-clunking sound and then they heard her, "I'm coming."

The door opened to a frail looking lady behind a walker. "Hello there, what for can I do you?, he he." She laughed at her word play.

"Hello Mrs. Conklin, I'm Peter Burke from the FBI and this is Neal Caffrey. We'd like to ask you about your son."

"Stanley, I bet. Jerry's a good kid." She opened the door, "Call me Betty. What did he do?"

Peter and Neal waited for her to turn her walker and get inside and then entered her home.

"We are asking about Stanley." Peter agreed. "Do you know where he is?"

Betty made it over to an arm chair and waved them in to sit on a love seat.

"I figured it was Stanley, working for the government made him... odd. I love him, but he is odd now. Do your mothers think you're odd now working for Uncle Sam?"

Neal, said, "I'm just a consultant." Neal sat on the arm of the love seat.

"If they pay you, then you're working for 'em. And don't ruin my furniture, young man, sit in it right, next to your friend there."

What could he say, Neal bounced his head, not a shake or a nod. He was getting a kick out of this lady. Neal sat next to Peter, the love seat was a tight fit for the two of them. Peter didn't attempt to answer.

"Stanley called an hour, or so, ago. Said he wanted to talk, which means he needs to think. Guess I'm his soundin' board. Bouncin' his ideas off me. Not that I get to talk, he does all that."

Peter held up a finger to interrupt, but Betty just kept talking. He couldn't image how Conklin could get any word in.

"Usually to flesh out his ideas, crazy as they usually are. He talked a little, but yes, I know where he is."

Peter and Neal couldn't believe it. Both asked at the same time. "Where is he?"

"Ha ha, jinx. Isn't that what you say when you say something at the same time? Aaah." Betty laughed at herself again. She grabbed the arms of her chair and force her body to turn around, then pointed, "Out in the garage, his old room."

Peter and Neal tried to jump up, but Neal had to get up first as he was almost on Peter's lap. They ran to the back door. Peter unsnapped his holster. Betty kept talking, "He's still got James Bond posters up in there, he's an odd one, why won't he shave..."

The detached garage had a walk-in door to the side and locks on the car door. Only the one point of entry.

Peter looked in the window, Conklin had his back to the door and was sitting on a wooden chair trying to balance on the back to legs, reaching his arm out to the table for support.

Peter knocked on the door, "Stanley Conklin open the door, FBI." This startled Conklin, who almost fell, but stayed in the chair. He put his hand to his face, straightened up while still holding his face with his elbows out.

"Come on in." Conklin said.

Peter and Neal looked at each other. "No" Neal yelled, "You come out."

Peter added, "Now"

Neither knew if Conklin had booby trapped the door or had something inside to use against them.

"Conklin, This is agent Peter Burke, I have my gun drawn and pointing at you. I can easily shoot through this window. I know you've researched Neal and me, you must know that I'm a good shot and will not miss. Come out with your hands up."

Conklin slowly stood, moved his hands from his face to the back of his head and walked to the door. This was the first time Peter had seen him in person, his Merlin like beard with it's pointy little end looked... wrong.

Conklin lowered his hand to open the door. Peter and Neal stepped back. Conklin put his hand back up to his head and took two steps out.

Peter said, "Lay down on the ground face down with your hands behind your back."

Conklin laid down on the cement walkway.

"Neal, here are my handcuffs.." Peter pulled them from the belt attachment on the back of his belt.

Neal took the cuffs but didn't need any more instruction, he had enough experience with handcuffs. Neal planted a knee in Conklin's back, "Don't move, I'm new to this and don't want to hurt you, too much."

Neal handcuffed Conklin and then got up and said, "Actually I wouldn't mind hurting you, but I'll let someone in prison do that."

Peter looked at Neal, with a questioning look.

Neal raised both hands, "I don't have anyone in mind, I'm sure Stanley here will happen into his own pain."

* * *

A/N I was told I ended this too soon. I'm working on a new chapter now.


	6. Chapter 6 Coded Information

**A/N I was told I ended this too soon. Here's another chapter. More to come.**

* * *

Peter looked down into the bull pen area at Neal. Neal was bored. He was down. He was doodling. Conklin hadn't said a word since his arrest. No answers.

Peter didn't know if it was ending the chase or getting no answers that bothered Neal more. Peter looked through all the pending cases for something to keep Neal busy, something that would engage his mind. Nothing.

Peter felt like he needed to help Neal. He was going to have to wing it.

He popped his head out his door. "Caffrey" Peter waved him up.

"What do you have, Peter?"

"I was wondering if you thought there might be an imbedded code in any of the documents we have here?" Peter pulled open the file Neal had taken from Conklin's safe.

"Most of it is identical to that other file. There were two pages that were different." Neal's mind started spinning and Peter could see the glow in his eyes. Now only if they could find something. Not sure a wild goose chase would help anything but be a short term mood lifter.

"The page without Kate had quite a bit to it, but the note at the end just had the one sentence." Neal said while looking at the two.

"Peter, do you have the other page from the Mentor file Fowler gave me?"

"Sure" Peter opened a desk drawer and opened a file and pulled out the page. "Here you go."

Neal sat down with a pencil and started writing things down, specific differences between the two pages.

"Did you notice how many typos are in the original mentor document that didn't show up in the one from the safe?" Peter asked.

"You're right, Peter." Neal started over from the the top of the Mentor page. He got a fresh sheet of paper drew a line to create two columns, one for the original and another for the new document. When a word had a typo in it, he wrote the whole word and the word that corresponded in the new document.

When he finished, he had two pages. He had underlined words that were completely different. Peter looked over his shoulder. On a separate page Neal listed just the typo'd letters.

"N E W I J K M T I X J E Y K K E N O T E Y N O E J J I I N W Y Z A T I I L T I U Y L E R N P K A U O I V U I R E"

"Peter looked as Neal continued to write what appeared to be more random letters.

"Doesn't seem to make much sense." Peter observed.

"I don't think it's an anagram, most likely a substitution cipher." Neal pulled the last page and looked at it.

It said "You're good Caffrey, but now I'm gone. Good bye."

"The substitution cipher would take each individual letter and replace it from the alphabet.

Neal wrote down each letter from the note and just below it the alphabet, he then finished off the alphabet on the first line.

Y O U R E G D C A F B T N W I M H J K L P Q S V X Z

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Neal then started translating. He found each letter he had listed in the top line and then looked to the cooresponding letter from the alphabet below. The first seven letters, NEWLIJK, became Mentors, MTIX became ploy, JEYKKENOTE became reassemble...

Neal started reading it without having to write it down.

"Peter, you're not going to believe what this says."

Looking over Neal's should Peter asked, "Reassemble what?"

"He's still playing us, Peter."

"Playing us? Reassemble what, Neal, what is he asking to reassemble?"

Neal read through the document, "I need to talk to him."

He's not talking to anyone." Peter reminded him, "Reassemble what?"

"I haven't talked to him yet and it says here at the end, 'will talk to NC', NC is me, Neal Caffrey, he wants to talk with me. He wants us to reassemble the Amber room."

"Neal, I have to confess, I didn't expect this, I was just.." Peter started.

"I didn't expect this either, glad you thought of it though." Peter decided to let Neal revel in the find and just let the ruse slide, they had found something.

Neal explained the text and then finished decoding it so Peter would believe him.

"Can we go see Conklin?" Neal asked.

"Sure, but there's paperwork to fill out."

"It's been one day." Neal protested.

"It seems the people at the C.I.A. have some concerns. We have to do all the paperwork beforehand on this one. It'll be tomorrow at the earliest. With it being this close to Christmas we may have to wait until after the weekend before we get to talk with him."

"Before I get to talk with him." Neal said.

"Right, I'll be behind the glass."

* * *

"Hey Moz," Neal closed his door, finding Mozzie reading at his table and drinking his wine.

"The paper doesn't say anything about Conklin." Mozzie sat the paper down. "How much has he given up?"

"He won't talk to anyone, but guess what we found today?"

"You and the Suit?"

Neal had taken off his suit coat and hat and sat at the table with Mozzie. "Peter had some idea there was more in the files and after looking at it I found a substitution cipher. I think Conklin is still playing us. This was never just about the music box."

"Losing an illusion makes you wiser than finding the truth" Mozzie quoted.

"True in this case." Neal didn't identify the quote and Mozzie looked at him waiting for it, Neal caught this, "Sorry, ah, Borne...Borne, ...Ludwig Borne" Mozzie smiled at Neal getting this right.

"Mozzie, I borrowed these pages. Can you take a look and see if there is anything else, besides the cipher I found?" Neal handed Mozzie the three pages he used earlier to decipher the code. Plus the page he had used to decode the typos.

Mozzie enjoyed a challenge and a good code was always fun. "Sure" He had a spark in his eyes at the chance to unravel more of this puzzle.

Neal asked, "What are you doing for Christmas Eve?"

"No plans yet, you?"

"I saw June on the way up and she was talking about cooking up something, not sure what, but she wanted me to let you know you're invited."

"Fabulous!" Mozzie rubbed his hands together, "I'll be here."

* * *

Peter looked at the door, Neal was in early.

Neal saw Peter and walked up to his office.

"You're in early." Neal said.

"I was going to say the same thing."

"What are you and El planning to do Christmas Eve?"

"I think we're just going to go out and eat."

"June has asked me to invite you and Elizabeth to her place, she's cooking something up."

Peter rocked in his chair a little, "That sounds nice, I'll ask El."

Peter pointed to the closed Mentor file on his desk. "We get to see him later today." Peter pulled the file closer towards him. "Did you take some of the file, Neal"?"

"Yes. I borrowed the pages for the code, there might be more there, so I have Mozzie going over it. He's good at this kind of thing."

"I get it back."

"Of course you do."

"OK"

Neal decided to change the subject, "Done with all your Christmas shopping?"

"No."

"Peter, it's December twenty third, when are you planning to finish?"

"I came in early so I could take a long lunch and finish up."

"That's cutting it close." Neal said.

"How about you, are you finished?" Peter asked.

"A week ago." Neal smiled.

"But you're just buying for Mozzie and June, right?"

"No, Peter I've got something for you and Elizabeth too."

"Oh" Peter had to scrambled to get Neal something too.

"I wouldn't forget you guys." Neal said.

* * *

Peter left on his long lunch and Neal called Mozzie.

"Hey Moz, find anything yet?"

"This guy likes puzzles. There are at least three that I've found so far. When did you get the original file from Fowler?"

"Oh, almost a year ago." Neal answered.

"He had this planned to coming down to Christmas. You're right, he is still playing you. Some of this just can't be. Some of what he says doesn't make sense or he's mentioned stuff that was destroyed ages ago."

"What do you mean?" Neal asked.

"The Martyrdom of Erasmus is mentioned, The Bankers of Amsterdam, The Destruction of Niobe's Children, all these paintings that were destroyed are listed here. The Farmers Brawl, Assumption of the Virgin, Leda and the Swan, The Court of Pan. The list goes on, man. There can be no way all of these painting still exist. They would be known as being out there."

"That seems to be kind of out there." Neal was shocked by the names of these paintings, reported gone, stolen or destroyed.

Mozzie added, "Besides the info you found, there is another code about 'Dot' , ' his room' and 'Moonrakers..."

Neal jumped in, "He has a bunch of James Bond posters in his old bedroom. Sorry, Moz. Go on."

"It mentions that Dot has the extraction."

So we need to figure out who Dot is and how we can get the extraction from her."

Neal thought out loud to himself, "If those painting do exist, think about what they're worth."

"There's more, Neal. I have decoded a third cipher. I think you'll have to see this, but he's talking about Kate." Mozzie took a breath, "About Kate in the past tense. He knew she'd die in the plane when Fowler handed this to you."

Neal wasn't happy about this. "Does he specifically say that?"

* * *

Peter stepped into the elevator and called Elizabeth. "Hi Honey." He said

"Hi, Sweetie."

"Got any ideas what I can get Neal for Christmas?"

"Don't worry, I already got him something from us."

"Of course you did. I was about to buy him something. What did you get him?"

"Don't worry, it'll be a surprise for you too." Elizabeth said.

"That reminds me, June has invited us over for Christmas Eve dinner."

"That sounds like fun, let's do it." Elizabeth said. "Are you outside? Where are you off to?"

"Ah, just getting some, ah, coffee" Peter lied.

"Oh, OK, I love you. Have fun shopping" Elizabeth hung up. She always knew when Peter lied.


	7. Chapter 7 Spoils of War

Neal sat at his assigned FBI desk and stared at nothing, "Does it actually say that Kate dies in the plane?"

"No, Neal, sorry I don't want to drag up painful memories, it says that Kate is gone and of no use."

"That could mean she wasn't playing his game."

"OK" Mozzie said, not believing it.

"Make copies of the documents so you can continue working on them, but Peter wants the originals back."

"I'll finish up and bring them, plus what I've found. See you downstairs in forty seven minutes."

"Forty seven?"

"Exactly."

Neal had time to get a bite before Mozzie or Peter got to the office. He pulled on his coat and hat and headed to the elevators.

* * *

Neal decided to go to the coffee shop and enjoy a few minutes by himself outside.

Out of habit he started calculating marks, people he could take advantage of, people on cell phones or so into their food as to ignore their surroundings.

Then he saw Sara drive by, probably another car she's repossessing. He wondered what she was doing for Christmas.

Mozzie was headed to the FBI offices and Neal caught up with him. "Hey Moz."

"Couldn't wait two more minutes?"

"No, just had the chance to get out of the office, so I did."

"Good choice. Here's those pages for the Suit and a few pages of what I found."

Neal looked at the pages Mozzie had decoded. "After the bomb sniffing dogs cleared the garage, I took a look inside. Every James Bond movie poster was on Conklin's walls. I bet there's something with the Moonraker poster."

"Good luck with that, I'm going to see what else I can find coded on that Mentor file."

Neal started walking back to the office.

* * *

Neal had read and re-read Mozzie's pages when Peter walked back into the office.

"Get finished up?" Neal asked.

"Yes, I did. What do you have there?"

"Mozzie returned the pages from the file." Neal handed them to Peter. "Plus he found two additional coded messages."

"Let me see them." Peter put his hand out, then added "Please."

Neal started talking about them as he handed them over. "Conklin is referencing paintings that have been reported as destroyed as recently as world war two and a few the go back even further. He mentions Kate is no use to him."

This made Peter look harder at the documents Neal had handed him.

"The first code was the easiest and most obvious. It said to reassemble the Amber room, but this second one makes me think that that might be a coded message in itself."

"You lost me." Peter said, "The second one is a coded message?"

"No. The second one lists a number of paintings." Neal started explaining, "The Amber room started out being the King of Prussia's art gallery. When the Czar, that's the King of Russia."

"I know what a Czar is." Peter snapped.

"When the Czar commented how he liked the Amber room, it was given to him as a gift. I don't think Conklin wants us to physically put together the Amber room, the Russians have already recreated it. I think he wants us to gather the art."

"Your decoded message." Peter said, "That first one, said the 'loot was located', so he wants you to steal it?"

"I don't know, Peter. Guess I can ask when I get to talk with him in a few hours."

Peter looked again to the pages, "What's this about the room and Moonrakers and Dot, and tomorrow date?"

"I was thinking it has something to do with the posters in his old room and someone named Dot." Neal answered.

"Do you know if it was capitalized?" Peter asked.

"No, just assumed it was a person, so did Mozzie."

"Could be department of transportation, DOT. And another thing, I don't think it's one of his posters."

"It says 'Moonrakers', there was a James Bond film..." Neal pointed to the documents Peter was holding.

Peter butted in, "Moonraker is the Bond film, this is plural." Peter looked at Neal, "Come on, you don't know that story?"

"What story? I guess not."

Peter smiled at getting to tell Neal this. "The term Moonraker or Moonrakers comes from a smuggling group out of England. This is a long time ago. They hid their contraband in containers under water. One late night they were trying to pull up some of this contraband and were caught. Being in an rural area they told the officer, while pointing to the reflection of the moon, they were trying to rake up some cheese, thinking that these guys were idiots, the constable let them go."

"I hadn't heard that before." Neal said.

"So we could be dealing with smugglers and the DOT. We'll have to figure out the room reference.

"I think I got it." Neal said, "His room is the Amber room, not his bedroom. I was so stuck on the James Bond posters, I stopped right there. He's trying to smuggle artwork and somehow the department of transportation is being used. Why would he tell me all of this?"

"Tell you?" Peter asked.

"He had Appleton have Fowler give me the Mentor file. He had to expect I'd get to it at some point."

"OK." Peter said, "Let's see if we can get in early to see him."

* * *

Conklin sat handcuffed to a table in his orange jumpsuit. He stared straight ahead at the mirror and waited.

Peter and Neal watched him from behind the mirror. "I feel like he's looking right at us." Neal said.

A guard opened the door "Conklin, you have a visitor. You might want to think about talking again."

Neal slipped through the door and sat down. Questions he wanted answered would have to wait.

Conklin stared without saying a word for a full minute. "Nice to meet you Mr. Caffrey." He put his hand up to shake hands, but the handcuffs only allowed a small movement.

Neal refused to shake his hand. "I understand you'll only talk with me. Why?"

"Did you really read the Mentor documents?"

"Yes, I did." Neal told him, "I found the ciphers, decoded them, but I still have questions."

"Did you find them?"

"The codes? Yes."

"No, not the codes." Conklin was irritated, "The paintings. The BND has them."

"BND?"

"You didn't get all the ciphers then. The Bundesnachrichtendienst, or BND , is the German C.I.A."

"My German is a little rusty, I haven't got to travel much lately."

Conklin continued, "While excavating old buildings to build new ones in Berlin, a number of vaults were found. The contents of the Amber room, numerous paintings, jewels. The Nazi's plunder." Conklin just stared at Neal.

"How did I come into this?" Neal Asked, "I mean, this must have been found at least a year ago. Someone else could have got it for you."

Conklin looked disappointed, "Neal, we won the war. The spoils go to the victor. That stuff is ours."

Neal looked at Conklin and decided that he was a functioning lunatic, or a brilliant thief in the making. "All of the art that the Nazi's took has to go back to the rightful owners or their descendants."

"Why has none of it been returned?" Conklin asked.

"I'm the wrong guy to ask why governments do things the way they do." Neal responded.

"The BND plans to move it tomorrow night." Conklin spat. He looked intense. His eyes were just a little too wide open.

"How do you know this?" Neal asked.

"I have sources."

"Not good enough." Neal told him.

"I have a guy in the BND. He was compromised in Ninety four, he could deliver information or his indiscretion's could become public."

Neal thought about all the art. If it really still existed, he wanted to see it.

"Do you know where it is being moved?"

"No, I know where it is now and when it's being moved. Nothing more. You could get it. You know enough, you know how."

Neal pointed to his anklet, "I have a short leash that doesn't quite extend to Germany."

"You were free."

"Until you blew up the plane." Neal stood up, "Why'd you kill Kate! Tell me, Damn you!" Neal blood was boiling, he could have beat Conklin right there. Finally he got to ask the question that had haunted him for the past ten months.

Peter stood by the door with his hand on the doorknob. He was ready to go in and pull Neal off Conklin.

"I didn't do that. I hadn't told Appleton everything, I believe Appleton or Larsson did it. They wouldn't tell me and then that idiot Bayer killed Appleton."

Peter looked to the guard, "You heard him say that, right?"

The guard agreed.

"You mention Kate in your cipher." Neal sat back down.

"She couldn't get everything from you and became useless while you were working with Burke. I was letting her go with you. I was hoping to contact you, through her, about these works of art."

* * *

Neal came out of the room. Looking at Peter he said, "He's not all together there. How he figures winning a war over sixty years ago gets you ownership of art, is beyond me. How it became such a big deal, all he put into it, he's just crazy."

"He's confessed." Peter said.

Neal looked even sadder, "I don't think I'll ever get all the answers I want. At least I know more about the kook and what he thought he was doing. Don't know that I'll ever understand why."

Peter decided he had to lighten the mood. "What did you get me for Christmas?"

Neal smiled, "You'll find out soon enough. Better question is what did you get Elizabeth?"

Peter tipped his head down and looked at Neal, "You can't tell her."

* * *

Neal rolled out of bed to answer a knock on his door.

"Good morning, Moz."

"Good morning, indeed. June just reminded me about tonight, she seems really excited about throwing a Christmas party."

"Christmas Eve party." Neal wipe his eyes, still sleepy.

"Sleep...Oh! How I loathe those little slices of death."

"I'm too sleepy Moz." Neal blinked trying to get used to the light.

"Dawn: When men of reason go to bed."

"Bierce" Neal said. That was good enough for Mozzie, he held out the paper, "Guess you haven't seen this yet, sleepy head."

The Headline read 'Germany Finds Nazi Art Stash'

"It doesn't list everything, but they list a website were we can view most of what was found." Mozzie told Neal.

"I guess I have something to do Monday in the office then."

* * *

The doorbell rang and the housekeeper opened the door. She was dressed up like Mrs. Claus. "Merry Christmas"

Peter and Elizabeth were dressed for the party, Peter held a small stack of wrapped gifts.

Elizabeth said, "You look so cute."

"Thank you, Ma'am" She turned and extended her arm to show the way in.

Peter and Elizabeth turned the corner and saw a large tree elaborately decorated with numerous wrapped presents underneath it.

June, her children and grandchildren, as well as Neal and Mozzie were sitting near the tree.

Neal was reading 'The Night Before Christmas' to the children, "He sprang to his sleigh, to his team he gave a whistle, and away they flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, Happy Christmas to all and to all a good-night."

The children clapped and demanded more.

"Merry Christmas" Peter and Elizabeth said.

Everyone in the room responded, "Merry Christmas."


	8. Chapter 8 Neal's Christmas

Peter repeated, "Merry Christmas."

"June, Thank you for inviting us, it was so nice of you. Your house looks so lovely." Elizabeth said handing June a nice bottle of wine.

"You didn't need to do this." June said while raising the bottle a few inches in her left hand while giving Elizabeth a small hug.

"I couldn't not do it" Elizabeth said.

"Peter go ahead and put those under the tree." June pointed to an open spot on the left of the tree.

The smaller children were playing tag and running around trying to use the grown-ups as shields and obstructions.

Peter was uncomfortable being a shield and made a face at the little boy who decided to run. Though out of practice with it, he tried some small. "The tree looks great, did you do that all by yourself, June?"

"Oh no, Neal and Mozzie helped last night and then the grandchildren finished it with me this morning."

Peter looked across the room to Neal. Neal saw Peter looking and smiled and raised a glass of wine, "Merry Christmas, Peter."

Though he could not have heard, at times it seemed Neal could read Peters mind. Peter wasn't sure if that should irritate him or not. It was Christmas eve, he decided not to let anything bother him.

In her red velvet with white fur trimming, Mrs. Claus announced it was time for dinner.

The table was set, every space was filled with either plate, glass or some food item. Ham and turkey, potatoes and yams, stuffing and dressing, cranberries, milk, water and wine, the quantities were surprising.

While the table was large enough for sixteen, there was only room for ten. Peter thought there were more people here than that.

Peter said, "I don't think I've seen so much food at anything other than one of Elizabeth's events."

"Take a good look at it and take a plate." June announced.

Peter walked to the table and stood behind a chair. June picked up a plate of dressing and said, "It needs to look just the same, follow me."

Mozzie picked up the ham, Neal the turkey, the family followed suit grabbing plates of food from the table. Peter looked at El, thinking what's going on?

"Peter, you can carry both the mashed potatoes and the yams, can't you?" Elizabeth asked.

"Sure" Peter had no idea what was going on.

They paraded about a block and a half when June turned into a building that had signs to feed the needy.

"I had no idea this was going to happen" Peter said to Elizabeth.

"Just go with it." She said.

They set their food on a table doing their best to recreate the setting at June's. Peter saw at least six other families had done the same thing

They stood on one side and filled plates for those that were in line. When everyone had been served they filled their own plates and found places to sit amongst those already eating.

Peter was sitting seven people away from Elizabeth. She was talking to a weathered man who, no doubt, spent most of his time outdoors. She had no problems with small talk, he was never good at it.

He saw Neal a few tables away charming the pants off of people that had nothing. He felt guilty for his thoughts and silence. He smiled at a couple sitting across from him.

"Hi, I'm Peter Burke, F... If you don't mind, can you pass the butter?" He stopped his usual introduction, that was close. "What's your names?"

"I'm Bill and this is my wife Elizabeth." She waved a fork.

"My wife is Elizabeth too." Peter said pointing to her. Peter started to relax and started taking everything in. In doing so he started hearing the conversations around him.

Peter could hear Mozzie behind him, "I was in foster care, I didn't really..." all the emphasis on 'really', "...really have a home either, 'cause I didn't have parents like you do." Mozzie was talking to a ten year boy.

Another conversation, "Well, I got sick, see, and I had to pay off the doctors, you know, and all the money they charged me..." June's daughter and son-in-law, or was it son and daughter-in-law, were talking about medical care to their table mates. Their daughter had needed a transplant and they knew how expensive care was.

June's grandchildren had started playing tag with some of the kids their age. Peter saw a Christmas tree and a big red chair near the tree. Lights lined the ceiling and walls.

Peter smiled, focused on Bill and his wife, "Merry Christmas." He said. Bill started talking about his job.

* * *

"Mrs. Claus" Peter was surprised to see June's housekeeper followed by a very round looking Santa carrying a big red bag. Santa went and sat in the chair by the tree.

All the kids went from playing to screaming and rushed to be near. June's grandchildren went to sit near her and watch as Santa started handing out presents.

The parent came to sit near their children and Peter sat close to El. "June and her neighbors are doing a really nice thing here." Elizabeth said.

Neal sat next to Peter, followed shortly by Mozzie.

Neal looked at Peter, "Are you crying?"

Peter wiped his eyes and lied, "No, it's these candles, they bother my sinuses."

Neal turned to Mozzie and almost said something.

Peter gave him a playful shove, "Stop it. Merry Christmas, Neal."

"Thanks, Peter, Merry Christmas."

Peter leaned forward, "Merry Christmas, Mozzie"

"You too suit, Mrs. suit" Mozzie raise his glass of water as if making a toast.

* * *

At one in the morning they were back at June's.

All the presents except those Peter had brought in were gone.

June said, "Take those home and open them after you've had a good night's sleep. Good night and Merry Christmas."

Elizabeth, turned to Neal, "Can you come over for dinner tomorrow?" She looked at her watch "Ah...I guess that's tonight? You too Moz."

Peter looked at El, surprised

"How's six thirty sound?" Elizabeth asked.

"Thank you, Elizabeth, that sounds very nice." Neal said.

"That would be great." Mozzie rubbed his hands together again. He enjoyed the idea of food.

Peter picked up the presents and Elizabeth got their coats. They said, "See you tomorrow" and "Merry Christmas."

On the way to the car Peter was weighing one present in his left hand, he then shook it and listened as he did so.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to figure out what you... what we got Neal."

"You're still a kid aren't you?" Elizabeth asked. "You'll have to wait."

* * *

Neal and Mozzie were about to walk up Peter's step when Mozzie said, "Hold on. I have to look nice."

Mozzie handed Neal two presents that Neal stacked atop the one he was carrying. Mozzie pulled out a different set of glasses that looked identical to what he had on. He switched sets and asked Neal, "How do I look?"

"You look great, Moz, you look great."

Mozzie smiled at the approval, took his two presents back and then they continued up the steps and knocked on the door.

Peter answered, "Come on in, Merry Christmas." He turned to call. "El, they're here."

"Thank you, Merry Christmas." Neal and Mozzie said.

Elizabeth walked out of the kitchen, she was happy to see them both and had a big smile.

"Usually my family did Christmas in the morning, and I feel like I've made you wait all day to get your gifts." Elizabeth said, "So I want you both to open the presents from us."

Mozzie smiled and looked to Elizabeth then to Neal and to Peter and back to Elizabeth. His smile was infectious.

Neal and Mozzie set the presents they brought in by the tree.

Elizabeth said, "Moz, let me take your scarf, you go first."

"Thanks, El" Mozzie unwound the knit scarf from his neck and folded it in half and then in half again and handed it to Elizabeth.

Peter heard this and wondered if he'd always be 'suit' to Mozzie.

Mozzie saw the present with his name on it and was surprised by it's size. Mozzie tore the paper off and found a bottle of wine. He stared at it, in shock, for a while.

Peter said, "Appleton's widow gave it to me. When she found out what her husband had done."

"It's a two thousand five Domaine Romanee-Conti. Neal did you see this? I don't know if I should drink it or sell it."

"Do whatever you want with it." Peter smiled.

"You've consumed enough of my wine this last year, I'd be glad to help you drink that." Neal said.

Mozzie rotated the bottle in his hands reading the label, still trying to believe it. "Thank you. This was very kind of you."

Elizabeth was anxious to have Neal open his present, "Your turn, Neal."

Neal picked up a box and shook it.

"You kids!" Elizabeth said, "You don't have to guess, just open it."

Neal carefully peeled the tape and unwrapped the paper without tearing it.

Peter looked at El, "Told you he'd do that."

"What's that?" Neal asked.

"You're just careful with this kind of thing."

"I didn't get a lot of presents as a kid, I'm savoring every moment."

Neal opened the box to find two boxes inside the first.

"Wow, two..." Neal said to himself as much as to anyone else.

Neal opened the smaller of the two boxes. "Oh, wow. Peter and Elizabeth these... You remembered... Frank Gehry Torque cufflinks and tie bar set."

"I remembered you said you thought these were the perfect set, functional and beautiful. Peter agreed."

"I did." Peter said. Let's see them." Peter mouthed a 'thank you' to El.

Neal pulled the cuff links out and held them at the end of his sleeve.

"Nice." Peter said.

"There's something else in there." Elizabeth said.

Neal opened the box and slid out a plaque of mahogany, the top two thirds was the FBI seal, the lower third had a statement engraved into the wood. 'Your work as a C.I. has been a benefit to all of New York. Thank you.'

Peter said, "I had a hard time thinking of something for you. I talked to Hughes, he agreed, and the whole department signed the back. I was afraid it wasn't enough, Elizabeth remembered the cuff links.

Neal flipped it over and read all the names. His eyes teared up.

"Stop it. Merry Christmas, Neal." Peter gave him a little push on his shoulder.

Mozzie looked to Neal and decided it was time for Elizabeth and the Suit to open their gifts from him. He bent down and picked up the two boxes.

"It's wine." Mozzie said, ""Nothing like what you gave me, but it's good."

Peter and El opened their presents to find a white and a red wine.

Neal was still looking at the plaque, he wiped his eyes one more time. "Time to see what I got you. El, if you will do the honors. Is that OK, Peter?" Neal handed Elizabeth a present.

"That's fine." Peter said.

"To The Burkes, From Neal" Elizabeth read the tag. "It's heavy"

"You kids." Neal smiled at El, having repeated her, "Just open it."

Elizabeth tore off the paper with no regard to it's condition. "Oh my...Neal."

Peter looked at it and asked, "Did you do this from memory?"

Elizabeth had all the paper off and held a painting Neal had done of the two of them, Prom picture style of Peter holding Elizabeth. Her back to his chest with his arms around her.

"Yes. All from memory. Hope you like it. It's the first one I've ever signed, as myself and been happy with.

"Oh, Neal. It's beautiful" Elizabeth said.

"Do you really like it?" Neal asked.

Peter said, "It's really special. Thank you." Peter hugged Neal.

"Yes, oh my God, yes." It was Elizabeth turn to get teary. She sat the painting on the chair and hugged Neal. She kissed him on the cheek and said, "Thank you."

Mozzie said, "You do good work, my friend." Patting Neal on the shoulder, then continuing, "As this is a special occasion, Merry Christmas, El, Merry Christmas, Peter. Let's eat."

~END~


End file.
